Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for the Year 2006

January 9, 2007

LOS ANGELES, CA - Directors Guild of America President Michael Apted today announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2006.

"Each of these five nominees has demonstrated a remarkable ability to blend craft and vision in the pursuit of masterful storytelling," Apted said. "What makes it truly meaningful to directors is that this award is decided solely by their peers – the men and women who know first hand the passion, sweat and fear that goes into creating feature films. My congratulations to each of the nominees."

The winner will be named at the 59th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, February 3, 2007, at the Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel Los Angeles.

This is the first DGA Feature Film Award nomination for both Mr. Dayton and Ms. Faris.

STEPHEN FREARSThe Queen(Miramax Films)

Mr. Frears' Directorial Team:

Production Manager: Sue Claverly

First Assistant Director: Stuart Renfrew

Second Assistant Director: Rickay Graysmark

Third Assistant Director: Lucy Egerton

This is Mr. Frears’ first DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies For Television for Fail Safe (2000) along with co-director Marty Pasetta.

ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITUBabel(Paramount Vantage)

Mr. Iñárritu's Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Ann Ruark

First Assistant Director: Sebastián Silva

Second Unit Director: Alfonso Gómez-Rejón

This is Mr. Iñárritu's first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

MARTIN SCORSESEThe Departed(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Scorsese's Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Carol Cuddy

First Assistant Director: Joseph Reidy

Second Assistant Director: Amy Lauritsen

Second Second Assistant Director: John Silvestri

This is Mr. Scorsese’s seventh DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for The Aviator (2004), Gangs of New York (2002), The Age of Innocence (1993), Goodfellas (1990), Raging Bull (1980) and Taxi Driver (1976). In 1999 Scorsese was presented with the Filmmaker Award at the inaugural DGA Honors Gala and he won the DGA’s highest artistic honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award (for distinguished achievement in film direction) in 2003.

The DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has traditionally been one of the industry's most accurate barometers for who will win the Best Director Academy Award.

Fifty-one out of fifty-seven times since the DGA Award’s inception in 1949, the DGA Award winner has won the corresponding Best Director Academy Award®. The six exceptions are as follows: